Although I’ve never been a huge football fan, it was hard not to get caught up in the excitement when the underdog New York Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers in a surprise upset that took them to a place many fans never expected to see them: the Super Bowl.

Because KBDN’s parent company also has offices in Wisconsin, the week before the game was filled with a friendly inter-office rivalry, along with much debate about what makes a winner. Is it talent? Momentum? Desire? The ability to perform under pressure?

What about external elements, like frigid temperatures, or home field advantage?

And then there’s the issue of expectations…is it better to have the confidence of being the favorite, or is there a certain power in being the underdog?

This year in the NFC, the Giants proved that focus, determination and an unwillingness to buy into the word “impossible” are powerful tools indeed.

They also taught a valuable lesson that everyone in the kitchen and bath industry should heed. Winning, they proved, isn’t just about everything going your way. Rather, it’s about overcoming obstacles and staying tough even when it’s clear that the competition has an edge. It’s about getting in the zone. It’s about creating your own heat when the “climate” is cold.